The many and varied uses of

Asphalt Concrete

RACE TRACKS

By JP Michaut
 Content

• Race track specificities

• Asphalt concrete formulation

• Few examples

• Conclusion
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 Race track specificities

• Driver safety
• Skid resistance : wearing course texture
• Rainwater drainage : visibility

• High tangential stresses due to:

• Brutal braking and acceleration
• Bend entrance and exit with short radius
• Special wide tires
 Race track specificities

• Texture and tyre wear: compromise

must be found
• Texture wearing course durability
• Wearing course homogeneity
• Use whatever the weather
• No traffic
• Specific design
• Main heavy traffic during construction
 Race track specificities

• Tangential stress resistance

• Aggregate stripping
• Binder bleeding
• Mechanical properties

• High evenness level

• Driver safety
• F1 behavior
 Specific asphalt concrete
formulation
• Good aggregates (intrinsic properties)
• Right formulation (generally gap
graded)
• Thin asphalt concrete (3 to 5cm thick)
• Maximum size D=10mm
• Macro texture range (best compromise
between wearing course texture and
tyre wear)
 Specific asphalt concrete
formulation

• Modified bitumen for increasing binder

cohesion (to avoid aggregate stripping)

• Good mechanical performances mainly

surface shear resistance

• Need specific tests

 Cohesion improvement
Cohesion in j/cm²
3

2,5
In blue traditional
In red special binder
2

1,5

0,5

0
20 40 60

Temperature in °C
 Particle loss of asphalt concrete

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Ruflex

LA equipment at 18°C
 Particle loss of asphalt concrete

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Ruflex

At - 10 °C
Results

Good result

Bad result 11
 Few examples
• Magny-Cours (Center of France)

• Castelet (South of France)

• Rockingham (U K)

• 24 h du Mans race track (West of

France)
 Magny-Cours

• Thin asphalt concrete called BBM

• Colas 1990: RUFLEX 0/10
• 6/10: 67%
• 0/2 : 30%
• Limestone filler: 3%
• Binder content : 5.6%
• Modified binder
• Specific test to characterize cohesion
 Castelet race track : south of France

• Thin asphalt concrete BBM c 0/10

• 6/10: 22%
• 2/6: 40%
• 0/2: 37%
• Limestone filler 1%
• Binder content 5.8%
• Highly modified binder
• Carried out 2001
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Castelet race track : south of France

15
Rockingham race track

16
 Rockingham race track

• Thin asphalt concrete

• Specific formulation: Rugocompact
• 6/10: 20%
• 4/6: 50%
• 0/2: 25%
• Limestone filler: 5%
• Highly modified binder

17
Le Mans race track

18
Circuit des 24 Heures
du Mans

RD 338
Hunaudières straight line
July 2011
 Technical requirements
• Macro texture
• 0.70 ≤ Texture Depth Average ≤ 0.90
• And TDA ≥ 0.50 in all points

• Evenness according to French

specifications

Short wavelength

Medium wavelength

Long wavelength
Other technical requirements

• BBM b asphalt concrete type

• class 3 according to EN 13108-1

• High PSV value for France (53)

generally 50

• Modified binder ER > 70%

BBM type
BBM b 0/10
 Hunaudières straight line
• Low temperature asphalt concrete
• Decrease mixing and laying temperature
(saving energy and GHGE)
• Specific binder with additive (140/150°C)
• Laboratory study (Water resistance,
gyratory and rutting)
• Results meet requirements for this type
of thin AC
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Caractéristiques mécaniques comparées

Obtained results
 Laying Equipment
• Modified binder plant
• Mixing plant close to Le mans
• Milling equipment with Laser guidance
• 2 pavers in parallel + 1more for
connection
• 3 vibratory rollers
• 12 semi-trailers for asphalt concrete
delivery
• 4800 t of BBM b
Chicane milling
BBM b 3E laying
Chicane entry (2010)
 Conclusion
• Asphalt concrete wearing course for
race tracks: specific formulation
• Thin asphalt concrete (0/10)
• Highly modified bitumen (ER> 70%)
• Specific test
• Right micro texture
• Evenness is essential

• Don’t forget laying (need means) 30

Thank you for your attention

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